what to give up for LENT?

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  • stringqueen16
    stringqueen16 Posts: 44
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    What I did a few years ago was I made a list of 40 little things I could do to better either myself or the lives of people around me. It was just a variety of things like 1) don't bring my cell phone to the dinner table or 2) stop getting angry over things like people pulling out in front of me on the road...just little things. 40 little things that can make a difference.
  • ❤lindsay❤dawn❤
    ❤lindsay❤dawn❤ Posts: 443
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    I quit smoking as my New Year's Resolution and did that with flying colors, so I think instead of giving up something, per se, Imma just make it my daily goal to get both of my workouts in. : ))
  • kasafrass
    kasafrass Posts: 50 Member
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    Give up your guilty pleasure food that's PACKED with calories. That'll help you get yourself off of it, plus it'll be beneficial to your diet :) I'm thinking about giving up sweets for lent this year!
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    We go out to eat quite a bit. We're not going to eat out all during Lent. The money saved will go to feeding the poor or homeless. So, we're giving something up as well as doing something. This will be a tough one for us!
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Give up religion!
  • missleah26
    missleah26 Posts: 146 Member
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    Last year I gave up coffee, which was a big struggle since I worked in a bakery and could have all the coffee I wanted.

    I may do that again, but I was thinking of something more spiritually-based instead, like reflecting on a passage every day or trying to make time to say the Rosary. I find I'm a lot calmer and centered after going to Mass, so trying to incorporate deeper faith reflection in my daily life can only be a good thing!
  • adidrea
    adidrea Posts: 275 Member
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    I am giving up my time to do some extra volunteering during lent. At least this way it's useful to somebody else :flowerforyou: A month without chocolate, soda, cookies, or whatever else isn't really going to help me with any kind of spiritual transformation so I'm dedicating my time instead.
  • pauljsolie
    pauljsolie Posts: 1,024 Member
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    Give out bad habits like watching television or navigating the web. Time that can be spent working out. Personally I am going to try a juice diet. Eat nothing but fruits, vegetables, some seeds and beans such as lentils and drink nothing but water.

    I agree. Don't give up a food item, give up something that is distracting you from working out or planning tomorrow's healthy meals etc... TV will rot your brain (at least most TV) and your body from inactivity. I don't watch TV anymore but spend way too much time on MFP now. Don't give up MFP though.:smile:
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
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    I've been thinking about this for the last 2 weeks and I'm trying to figure out some good things I could give up for LENT this year. Even if you are non-religious it's 40 days to work on a bad habit or create good ones...unlike Valentine's day which serves absolutely no purpose.

    I'm looking for things that are not so cliche...
    I've given up drinking alcohol.
    I've given up smoking.

    I'm already doing these things, so it doesn't quite work for LENT this year.

    If you're non-religious you should work on bad habits and creating better ones whenever you are able, physically and psychologically. There is nothing magical about the 46 days preceding the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. To the non-religious, Easter and lent serve absolutely no purpose. It really feels a little presumptive to say that people who don't share your religious beliefs should still find your traditions meaningful but you can casually comment that another holiday, one without meaning for you but which has meaning for some people, "serves absolutely no purpose."
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
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    Give up religion!

    Oh, how I wanted to say that, but didn't have the guts to be first. My hat is tipped to you!
  • SinIsIn
    SinIsIn Posts: 1,865 Member
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    Giving up is for QUITTERS!!! :tongue:
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
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    i was going to give up booze.... but then i realised old firm sunday is within lent (big football rival game for all you USA folks :)

    sooooo DECIDED that now is my lent and am not drinking untill old firm sunday :)


    last year i gave up fizzy juice and lasted about 5 days hahaha

    Not to encourage religiousness, but Sundays are not part of lent. Don't christians know anything about their faith? The Sundays are excluded as "little easters." The forty days (symbolic of Jesus' forty days in the desert) are not including the Sundays.
  • IndyInk
    IndyInk Posts: 212
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    When I was studying theology, a fellow student (he's now got his MDiv as well as another Masters in Theology) politely told me that the only method of fasting that appears in the Bible has to do with giving up food.

    I hate giving up food. I'd rather give up TV or driving. So, I did what any mature, free-thinking adult would do: stopped speaking to him for two days. Then we had a civil discussion about it. He explained you could give up a certain kind of food instead of skipping meals, or spread a 3-meal fast over two or three days, which makes it a lot more doable. You replace the food with contemplation, meditation, or acts of mercy.

    So last year, I gave up fried food for Lent. Which meant I made a lot of baked corn tortilla chips.
  • sv1983
    sv1983 Posts: 23
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    soda pop... and artificial sugars!
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
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    I don't believe in lint nor do I believe in intentionally giving up something for some ridiculous reason. But if you do, I'd give up something very important to you. Self-inflicted punishment is so unhealthy.

    'Lint' is the stuff you find in your belly button or dryer...lol. I do believe in it because I've seen it...lol I believe in giving it up too...lol

    I don't do Lent though...but if I were to give up something I'd try to give up complaining. I do that a lot...lol
  • reallyworkingout
    reallyworkingout Posts: 6
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    I give up buying my Mocha, I use the money I save to buy a homeless person breakfast Maybe a happy meal
  • cassieko
    cassieko Posts: 40 Member
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    Thinking about giving up MEAT old-school style... but I am not sure if I can hack it.
  • sciencenerd2011
    sciencenerd2011 Posts: 37
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    I'm thinking about giving up the snooze button on the alarm clock. No more excuses! Get up and work out instead of saying you are tired!
  • davepavone
    davepavone Posts: 42
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    why not give up driving to the places you can walk to!!
  • becca3211
    becca3211 Posts: 98 Member
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    I GIVE UP MY MOST FAVORITE THING...SWEETS...THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS ARE HELL..BUT THEN IT GETS BETTER. AFTER LENT IT DONE I REALLY DONT CRAVE SUGAR...(FOR AWHILE)

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